[martin mustang]

manage to take couple of photos, black with Ambiance light I think now I need to check this out with the dealer, when I look at it from a lower angle looks like something is wrong.
1st one with the flash on, looks like no Ambiance is on
2nd from a lower angle on the back door, and to me it looks like not fully on.?????

[stealth.pilot]

Yours looks broken. From underneath it should look like this.

[skoTner]

This is an option on all models here in Norway as well, with the option code S04UR. I would love to see pictures on cars with black/dark interior as well.

[martin mustang]

Yep, my Ambience is definitely out of action, when I took the photos it was with ignition on but not the engine, so I thought maybe it was down to that, of course not the case so a trip to the dealer next week.
Pictures with a working Ambience as soon as back on.

[gicamuci]

.
Did try to hold the same angle as stealth.pilot. This is really at night and used a long exposure time. I'll take another shot tomorrow morning. I must say, on black interior it is not so noticeable. In the back plan, on the passenger door is not even captured by the camera.
.

[martin mustang]

I hope the issue with my lights is down to some simple stuff, here in Ireland summer days last up to 11pm before darkness so never detected the fault until now. but I know one late evening back in August I noticed the effect, I guess back then the lights worked fine, not so bright but not bad, I was hoping they also help in the back with the kids always wanting to put the light on now I switched to black interior as to brown in my old car.

[MBrown1003]

Originally Posted by martin mustang

I hope the issue with my lights is down to some simple stuff, here in Ireland summer days last up to 11pm before darkness so never detected the fault until now. but I know one late evening back in August I noticed the effect, I guess back then the lights worked fine, not so bright but not bad, I was hoping they also help in the back with the kids always wanting to put the light on now I switched to black interior as to brown in my old car.

The rear, headliner-mounted reading lights should be helpful if they need lighting that's not too intrusive on the driver. I just checked it out in my dark garage, and very little light comes forward -- the ambient lighting outside would easily exceed it, so it shouldn't be distracting to you.

[martin mustang]

True, but if I am not wrong here in Europe well Ireland and UK, you simply not suppose to drive with the lights on in the cabin, limits your vision outside. Ambience lights will be classified as instrument lights, not white as the front and back headliner ones.

[stic57]

Watch the video, ambience light on black leather

[copello]

Are you sure this is original AMBIENT LIGHT ? Or some third party stuff ??

[stic57]

I'm not sure but it's quite similar in real life in my 530d with black dakota leather

[davesf]

So the ambient lighting is standard in US-bound 550s? Hope my car on order has it, and there was no option

Are they only in the doors, or are there ambient lights in the headliner? The 2005 Audi S4 I'm replacing (w/black leather) only has a couple ambient lights in the headliner, but I love the effect. They shine just enough (red) light down on the dark center-console and shifter to make the contours visible at night.

[car_fan]

Originally Posted by davesf

So the ambient lighting is standard in US-bound 550s? Hope my car on order has it, and there was no option

Are they only in the doors, or are there ambient lights in the headliner? The 2005 Audi S4 I'm replacing (w/black leather) only has a couple ambient lights in the headliner, but I love the effect. They shine just enough (red) light down on the dark center-console and shifter to make the contours visible at night.

In the 5GT the ambiance lighting spans the entire dash as well, there are also ambiance lights on the rear of the seat backs (Multi-Contour). It appears each series has it's own variation. The lights in the headliner are standard across the board. In MINI's you can change the color/hue.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by copello

Are you sure this is original AMBIENT LIGHT ? Or some third party stuff ??

OEM.

[valcor535]

On my 535iX they are not as bright as some have shown here, even with the dimmer to the max setting, I have black interiro leather....

[mkossler]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

OEM.

I just can't believe it, if you're referring to the video. That is an order of magnitude brighter than mine.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by mkossler

I just can't believe it, if you're referring to the video. That is an order of magnitude brighter than mine.

Cameras can exaggerate.

[martin mustang]

Originally Posted by valcor535

On my 535iX they are not as bright as some have shown here, even with the dimmer to the max setting, I have black interiro leather....

Back from the dealer, I got to see the ambiance light on another show room car in day light and with lighter interior, i.e. not black, and true the lights are not as bright as some of the photos here. the maximum brightness is down to the instrument lighting wheel setup, and while on max it was still not like on some of the photos.

[mkossler]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

Cameras can exaggerate.

Not sure I'd put it quite that way, but I get what you're driving at. I would require a MUCH better camera than what's in my EVO to get such a long exposure and such saturation. On the other hand, I could probably photoshop the same effect in about 30 seconds. As long as the end result conveys the real-life experience, I suppose it's all good.

[gicamuci]

I agree with stealth.pilot about cameras. I have the same black leather with black wood as the car in the above video, but there is no way you can see the AL during the day, as it appears in the video. Some cameras might 'see' it or rather be forced to 'see' it.

Another idea:
Our cars do have at least one ambient light sensor, right ? What if the sensor which controls the interior lights is just calibrated differently and so it gives different levels in different situations.

[Crocket]

Originally Posted by stic57

Watch the video, ambience light on black leather

I have the very same black interior and can assure you that there is no way my ambient lighting is as bright as in this video, even at night. If I turned it on in daylight you wouldn't see it at all. Does anybody know what changes are being made in the IDrive during the video ?. I took some pics on my Iphone last night but all I got was very faint orange glow on a very black screen. If I get a chance I'll try to video it at the weekend in the dark and post it (Thats if you can make out what you're looking at.)

[skoTner]

Originally Posted by Crocket

If I get a chance I'll try to video it at the weekend in the dark and post it (Thats if you can make out what you're looking at.)

Please do!